I was caught speeding by a mobile camera back in March. I was duly issued with a NIP which was sent back promptly, admitting the offence. I have today just received the court summons. Why does it take so long to process? Every day I get home from work expecting to see the letter on the door mat but it never arrives. It's worse than Chinese water torture.

 

What date was the offence and what date is the court case ??

I seem to remember something about a 6 month rule.

 

The six month rule relates to the time between the offence and the issuing of the NIP.

He's already had the NIP so it's not relevant here.

 

Must have been a serious number if they arent issuing a fixed penalty notice.

 

I thought that was 14 days mark ?

and then 6 months from nip to court

 

What am I going on about? Completely arse about face. Lord knows what I thought I was typing

You are, of course, quite right. NIP, if not given at the time of the offence (if, for example, you're stopped by Dibble), must be issued within 14 days of the offence with a reasonable period for delivery thereafter. The long-stop for bringing a prosecution is 6 months from the date of the offence. Thereafter, it is time-barred and liable to be struck out if they pursue it.

I'll go and sit in the wits corner for the remainder of the afternoon

 

/makes mental note to avoid Turner, Shotgun, Bastard & Dribble for any future solicitor requirements...

 

YEah I received my NIP for dangerous driving on 1 April and am still waiting for the damn summons to find out what the hell it was about. As far as I know it was a black saab that did a emergency stop at 60mph on the a1(m) causing me to brake hard and swerve into the left lane undertaking him, road was clear but the saab driver was off duty police I suspect. It could have been somethingelse however because I was filling me car with petrol 20 miles away going the opposite direction at the time stated on the NIP. The wait is truly torture, I'm exactly the same each morning I check the post expecting it to be there. Its messing with my head up. I had a policecar bumper to bumper with me on the m1 at 70mph last week, all the time I was thinking why don't I slam the brakes on.

 

Partly it's out of bureucratic incompetence, partly out of sadism.

They keep people on police bail forever before charging them or not, even if it's pretty clear their case is very weak.

In the case of motoring offences, it's the backlog caused by it being such a cash cow.

 

My court date came through 5 months and 3 weeks after I received my NIP

I swear they time it like that on purpose - you spent 6 months fretting!